Calendar of Events
Oct. 17, 2026 – (Sat) – Maple Leaf Festival – Historic Bus Tours – pick up at 6th & High; 2:30 – North Tour (Palmyra, Hickory Point, Vinland); 3:30 – South Tour (Baldwin, Media, Prairie City & Cemeteries) FREE!
Oct. 17 & 18, 2026 – (Sat & Sun) – noon – 4 pm – Maple Leaf Festival – Baker University’s Old Castle Museum and Historic Palmyra Grocery Store and Post Office open , 511 5th St., Baldwin City, 66006 FREE!
Oct. 17 & 18, 2026 – (Sat & Sun) – noon – 4 pm – Maple Leaf Festival – Baker University’s Quayle Bible Collection open, 518 8th St., Baldwin City, 66006 FREE!
Oct. 18, 2026 – (Sun) – 1 – 4 pm – Historic Vinland Coal Creek Library open, 698 E. 1719 Rd., Vinland, KS 66006 FREE!
Nov. 7, 2026 – (Sat) – noon to 1:30 – “Our Local History” Presentation: “The Baldwin Area Honors Its Veterans: Throughout History and Today”, Baldwin City Public Library, 800 7th St., Baldwin, 66006 FREE!
Nov. 21, 2026 – (Sat) – 3:00 pm – SFTHS Board Mtg., SFTHS Main Office/Jardon Insurance, 705 8th Street
Jan. 9, 2027 – (Sat) – 3:00 pm – SFTHS Board Mtg., Urishay Room, Collins Library, BU
Feb. 12, 2027 – (Sun) – 5:00 pm – Winter Mtg, Potluck, & Speaker
- Location: First United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall, 704 Eighth Street, Baldwin, 66006
- 5:00 social, 5:30 dinner, 6:15 Business, 6:30 program
- GUESTS AND VISITORS WELCOME!!
- Bring salad, side, or dessert. Meat provided.
- Speaker: TBA
Promoting, protecting, preserving history in the Baldwin and Vinland areas and along the Santa Fe Trail since 1967.
- In the News!
- Chapter Info & Activities
- SFT thru Douglas County
- Stops Along the SFT
- Black Jack Area
- Black Jack Crossing
- The Town of Black Jack
- Black Jack Parks and Historical Cabin
- Voices and Records of Black Jack Pioneers
- Sarah Baker’s story – wife of David Fearer who was killed by bushwhackers
- Sanford C. Barricklow story – was a boy in Black Jack
- Emma Bell obituary – a child in Black Jack
- Minnie Hays – Mrs. C. C. Waters – obituary – lifelong Black Jack resident
- R. H. Pearson story
- W. F. Pearson Tells of Black Jack in the 1850s
- Mrs. S.A. (Susan) Stonebraker obituary – tells of Black Jack in the 1860s
- Mrs. E. A VanMeter – obituary
- List of Free State Men who fought at the Battle of Black Jack
- Black Jack Area
- Baldwin & Local Area History
- Baldwin & Local History – People (includes organizations & groups)
- Angel Monument (B. Chollar, JR) at PCC
- Bahnmaier, Carolyn Wezstein
- Bell, Anna Maria
- Brooks, Anna
- Dillard, Mary Jane
- Fish, Eudora
- Gill, Martha Cutter Kelley
- Hall, Olive Willey
- Harvey, Rebecca Brooks
- Hitchcock, Florence Mann
- Florence Mann Hitchcock
- Leonard, Elizabeth Perkins
- Lister, Mary Graham
- Liston, Emil
- Local Men & the Battle of Westport
- Lovejoy, Julia Hardy
- Magoffin, Susan Shelby
- Miller, Dr. Mary McQuiston
- Nottingham, Roberta
- Pendleton, Genevieve Lingard
- Prentiss, Annie Soule
- Robinson, Sara
- Shawnee Tribe and Reservation Land
- Simmons, Elmira Dodder
- Sullivan, Lucy Sweet
- Taylor, Lucy Hobbs
- Weldon, Angeline
- Baldwin & Local History – Places (includes buildings)
- Baldwin City Buildings & their Business Histories
- Annunciation Catholic Church
- Baldwin City Public Library
- Clearfield Schoolhouse
- Coal Creek Library
- Grange Hall – Vinland, KS
- Hole-In-The-Rock
- International Motocross Racetrack, 1970s Baldwin
- Oakwood Cemetery Building
- Old Baldwin City Lake – & Brickyard
- Prairie City Cemetery
- Santa Fe Train Depot
- Signal Oak
- Baldwin & Local History – Events
- Baldwin & Local History – People (includes organizations & groups)
- Explore the Area
- Join Us! (Membership)
- Privacy Policy
- Photo & Image Gallery
- History of the SFT
- Publications by SFTHS
- Archives
- Support Us!
- Contact Us
Left Photos:
Upper Left: Historically reproduced log cabin at Black Jack Ruts Park.
Middle Left: Azure Aster flowers – one of 230 native prairie plants found on the Ivan Boyd Memorial Prairie.
Right Photos:
Middle Right: One of three markers relating Santa Fe Trail, Baldwin City, and Battle of Black Jack history at the park (US 56 & E. 2000 Rd.)
Far right: Aerial view of newly constructed walking trail surrounding the most prominent 4 wagon ruts.
Recently Added & Updated Information:
Each time the website is updated with the latest news item, a list of newly added pages and information will be listed here as well.
You will find past “In the News” and “Added & Updated Info.” items under the Archives tab.
Oct. 2026: In The News, Calendar, – Updated